JP6420434B1 - Endoscope plug - Google Patents

Abstract

A patient's electric shock is suppressed when liquid enters the sheath. In an endoscope plug 100, a plurality of wires (for example, a transmission cable 29, an optical fiber 31) connected to an insertion tip by fitting and connecting a tip opening to an insertion tip having an imaging unit. A flexible tube-like sheath 27 that is inserted inwardly, and a base 61 that accommodates the substrate 61 and opens the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 inward, and fixes the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end of the sheath 27 to fix the proximal end opening 55. And a housing 35 for connecting a part of the plurality of wires derived from the substrate 61 to the substrate 61, and a liquid to the substrate accommodating portion 59 in which the substrate is disposed on the bottom wall 75 of the housing on the lower side in the vertical direction of the proximal end opening. A liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 that prevents the intrusion of the substrate from standing upright or a cover 103 that penetrates the wire material in a watertight manner so that the substrate housing portion 59 and the sheath introduction portion 37 are spatially separated. . [Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present disclosure relates to an endoscope plug.

  For example, an endoscope inserted into a patient's body may be connected to the outside of the body by a flexible tube. For example, in the endoscope system of Patent Document 1, a sealing unit is provided on the proximal side of the suture machine and the endoscope. The sealing means includes an inner tube having an inner diameter through which the endoscope can pass, and an outer tube having an inner diameter larger than that of the inner tube and inserted through the inner tube. The outer diameter of the outer tube is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the valve. A plurality of tubes and the like are passed through a space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube. A sealing member fills the space between these tubes. Both ends of the inner tube are sealed between the endoscope and the tape. This reliably seals the space between the overtube, the suturing machine, and the endoscope, and prevents air leakage when the body cavity is inflated by sending air into the body cavity.

JP 2003-284722 A

  However, assuming an endoscope that is inserted into a thin tube such as a blood vessel of a human body and observes the inside thereof, a flexible tube-shaped sheath and a plurality of wires inserted through the inside of the sheath It is difficult to seal the gap with a valve having a conventional technology as in Patent Document 1.

  Since an endoscope inserted into a patient's blood vessel has a small diameter (for example, a maximum outer diameter of about 2 mm or less), the sheath may be broken due to contact with a foreign object or the like. For this reason, when inserted into a blood vessel, there is a possibility that a body fluid such as blood, or a contrast medium, physiological saline, or other chemical liquid (hereinafter referred to as “liquid”) used during examination or surgery may enter the sheath. Cannot be completely denied. When the amount of the liquid that has entered the sheath is large, the liquid enters the device (for example, the housing of the endoscope plug) on the proximal side from the proximal end opening of the sheath through the wire due to capillary action. If the inflowed liquid is short-circuited due to adhering to an electrical component such as a substrate in the housing, the patient may have an electric shock. It is also conceivable that the liquid transmitted in the sheath is sealed by filling a sealing member in a space formed between the sheath and the wire as in the configuration of the prior art. However, in an endoscope inserted into a blood vessel, the strength of the optical fiber is particularly low due to the small diameter. When both ends in the extending direction are integrally fixed, the bundled wire rod tends to swell in the sheath due to the difference in the radius of curvature. At this time, if this bulging is restrained by the inner peripheral wall of the sheath, the possibility that the optical fiber having a particularly small diameter will be damaged increases.

  The present disclosure has been devised in view of the above-described conventional circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an endoscope plug that can suppress an electric shock of a patient when liquid enters the sheath.

The present disclosure relates to a flexible tube-shaped sheath for inwardly inserting a plurality of wires connected to an insertion distal end portion having an imaging portion, a sheath introduction portion on the proximal end side of the sheath, and a substrate accommodating portion for accommodating a substrate and a housing with bets, the bottom wall of the housing in the vertically lower side of the proximal end of the sheath, made form the liquid intrusion preventing wall for preventing the entry of liquid into the front Kimoto plate accommodating section It is, with the substrate receiving portion and the front carboxymethyl over scan introducing portion spatially separated, with connecting portions of said plurality of wires derived from the proximal end of the sheath to the substrate, the plurality of wires are Ru is arranged with a deflection without being fixed in said housing, providing a plug for an endoscope.

In addition, the present disclosure provides a flexible tube-like sheath for inwardly inserting a plurality of wires connected to an insertion distal end portion having an imaging portion, a sheath introduction portion on the proximal end side of the sheath, and a substrate that houses the substrate and a housing having an accommodating portion, front Kimoto plate accommodating section we covered by watertight in said housing, said substrate receiving portion and the front carboxymethyl over scan introducing portion is spatially separated, the a portion of the plurality of wires derived from the proximal end of the sheath as well as connected to the substrate, the plurality of wires is Ru are arranged with a deflection without being fixed in said housing, a plug for an endoscope provide.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the electric shock of the patient when the liquid enters the sheath.

Overall configuration diagram showing an example of an endoscope system including the endoscope plug according to the first embodiment 1 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope and the repeater shown in FIG. The perspective view which decomposed | disassembled the plug for endoscopes of the endoscope shown in FIG. Cross section of sheath The exploded perspective view which looked at the plug for endoscopes of Drawing 3 from the front lower right Longitudinal cross section of endoscope plug Action explanatory diagram showing the flow path of liquid falling from the base opening Action diagram showing the flow path of the liquid adsorbed on the sponge The perspective view which decomposed | disassembled the plug for endoscopes of Embodiment 2. FIG. The perspective view which looked at FIG. 9 from the diagonally upper front of the sheath introduction part Vertical sectional view of the endoscope plug of the second embodiment The perspective view which represented the plug for endoscopes of Embodiment 3 with a part of repeater Side view of FIG. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a state where the endoscope plug and the repeater of FIG. The side view which represented the plug for endoscopes of Embodiment 4 with a part of repeater The perspective view which decomposed | disassembled the plug for endoscopes of Embodiment 4

  Hereinafter, an embodiment that specifically discloses an endoscope plug according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed descriptions of already well-known matters and repeated descriptions for substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid the following description from becoming unnecessarily redundant and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating an example of an endoscope system 11 including the endoscope plug 100 according to the first embodiment.

  It is assumed that the direction used in the description of the present specification follows the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. Here, “upper” and “lower” are, for example, an upper side of the display device (for example, a monitor device 33 described later) of the console 13 placed on a horizontal surface (eg, a floor surface) of an operating room or the like and a lower side of the console main body. “Front (front)” and “rear” correspond to the insertion distal end 19 side of the endoscope 15 and the proximal end side (in other words, the console 13 side) of the endoscope plug 100, respectively. .

  The endoscope system 11 is provided for an endoscope 15 that is, for example, a medical flexible mirror, and a still image or a moving image obtained by photographing the inside of an observation target (for example, a blood vessel of a human body) with the endoscope 15. And a console 13 for performing known image processing and the like. The endoscope 15 includes an insertion portion 17 and an endoscope plug 100. The insertion portion 17 includes an insertion tip portion 19 and a flexible portion 21 connected to the insertion tip portion 19. The endoscope 15 includes an image pickup unit (not shown) including a lens and an image pickup element at the insertion tip portion 19. In other words, in the configuration example of the endoscope 15 according to the first embodiment, the imaging unit includes an imaging element (not shown). The endoscope 15 is also referred to as a catheter. The endoscope 15 includes an imaging device in the imaging unit of the insertion tip 19, but the endoscope plug 100 of the first embodiment does not have an imaging device in the imaging unit on the insertion tip 19 side. You may apply to a fiber endoscope.

  A cable is connected to the console 13, and a repeater 23 is attached to the end of the cable. The repeater 23 has a socket part 25. The rear portion of the endoscope plug 100 of the endoscope 15 is inserted into the socket portion 25. Thereby, the endoscope 15 can transmit and receive power and various signals (video signal, control signal, etc.) and transmission of illumination light with the console 13.

  The flexible part 21 has an appropriate length corresponding to various types of endoscopy, endoscopic surgery, and the like. The flexible portion 21 is configured by, for example, covering the outer periphery of a thin metal plate wound spirally with a net, and further covering the outer periphery with a sheath 27 (see FIG. 4) that is a coating. In addition, it is formed to have sufficient flexibility at the time of endoscopic surgery. The flexible portion 21 connects between the insertion distal end portion 19 and the endoscope plug 100.

  The above-described power and various signals are transmitted from the insertion tip 19 to the endoscope through a transmission cable 29 that is a wire inserted into the flexible portion 21 and an optical fiber 31 (see FIG. 4) as an example of a glass fiber. Guided to plug 100. Image data output from the imaging device provided at the insertion tip 19 is relayed from the endoscope plug 100 via the transmission cable 29 by the relay 23 and transmitted to the console 13 having a computer. The console 13 performs known image processing such as color correction and gradation correction on the image data transmitted from the image sensor in a computer, and outputs the image data after the image processing to the display device. The display device is a monitor device 33 having a display device such as a liquid crystal display panel, for example, and displays an image of a subject imaged by the endoscope 15 (for example, image data indicating a state in a blood vessel of a human body that is the subject). .

  The endoscope 15 can be inserted into a small-diameter body cavity by forming the insertion portion 17 with a small diameter. The narrow body cavity is not limited to the blood vessels of the human body, and includes, for example, the ureter, pancreatic duct, bile duct, bronchiole and the like. That is, the endoscope 15 can be inserted into a human blood vessel, ureter, pancreatic duct, bile duct, bronchiole, and the like. The endoscope 15 can be used for observation of lesions in blood vessels. The endoscope 15 is effective in identifying, for example, atherosclerotic plaque. Further, it can be applied to observation by the endoscope 15 at the time of cardiac catheter inspection. Furthermore, the endoscope 15 is also effective in detecting thrombus and arteriosclerotic yellow plaque. In arteriosclerotic lesions, color tone (white, light yellow, yellow) and surface (smooth, irregular) are observed. In the thrombus, a color tone (red, white, dark red, yellow, brown, mixed color) is observed.

  Further, the endoscope 15 can be used for diagnosis and treatment of renal pelvis / ureter cancer and idiopathic renal bleeding. In this case, the endoscope 15 can be inserted into the bladder from the urethra and further advanced into the ureter to observe inside the ureter and renal pelvis.

  In addition, the endoscope 15 can be inserted into a fermenter papilla that opens to the duodenum. Bile is made from the liver and passes through the bile duct, and pancreatic juice is made from the pancreas and passes through the pancreatic duct and drains from the papilla in the duodenum. The endoscope 15 can be inserted from a fermenter papilla which is an opening of the bile duct and pancreatic duct, and enables observation of the bile duct or pancreatic duct.

  Furthermore, the endoscope 15 can be inserted into the bronchus. The endoscope 15 is inserted from the oral cavity or nasal cavity of a specimen (that is, a subject) in a supine position. The endoscope 15 passes through the pharynx and larynx and is inserted into the trachea while viewing the vocal cords. The bronchi get thinner every time they branch. For example, according to the endoscope 15 having the maximum outer diameter Dmax of less than 2 mm, the lumen can be confirmed up to the sub-region bronchus.

  In the following description, the endoscope 15 is described as an example in which it is used for observation in a blood vessel of a human body.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope 15 and the repeater 23 shown in FIG.

  The endoscope plug 100 according to the first embodiment has a housing 35 connected to the rear end of the insertion portion 17. The housing 35 is formed with a sheath introduction portion 37 having a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape on the fixed side where the sheath 27 is introduced (inserted). The sheath introduction part 37 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape and passing through the top part along the wire.

  The housing 35 is formed by connecting a rectangular cylindrical housing main body 39 to the bottom side of a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape that is the shape of the sheath introduction portion 37. The sheath 27 is protected by connecting a portion where the sheath 27 is connected to the sheath introduction portion 37 through the fiber bending restricting boot 41. The boot 41 is made of a soft material such as rubber, and a plurality of circumferential grooves that impart appropriate flexibility are formed around the boot 41. A ferrule 45 described later projects from the rear end portion 43 of the housing 35.

  The repeater 23 is provided with a socket portion 25 into which a coupling portion of the housing 35 is fitted. The socket unit 25 includes at least a light emitting element (not shown) and a card edge connector or the like (not shown). The socket part 25 detachably connects the rear end part of the housing 35. The socket part 25 and the housing 35 are provided with locking means (not shown) across both members. The lock means locks the socket portion 25 and the housing 35 in a coupled state and unlocks the coupled state.

  3 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope plug 100 of the endoscope 15 shown in FIG.

  For example, the housing 35 is divided into an upper housing 47 and a lower housing 49 with an approximately quadrangular pyramid-shaped axis as a boundary. Accordingly, in the housing 35, the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 are integrally assembled, whereby the front portion of the housing 35 becomes a substantially quadrangular pyramid-shaped sheath introduction portion 37, and the rear portion of the housing 35 is a rectangular tubular housing body. It can be regarded as part 39. That is, each of the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 is formed in a boat shape with the sheath introduction portion 37 as the bow side. The upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 are integrally fixed by screwing a plurality of fixing screws 51 inserted through the lower housing 49 into the upper housing 47.

  The boot 41 is restricted from rotating and moving in the direction along the axis with respect to the sheath introduction portion 37 by sandwiching a circumferential engagement groove 53 (see FIG. 7) between the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49. Fixed. A sheath 27 protrudes from the rear end surface of the boot 41. That is, the sheath 27 has a proximal end opening 55 that opens inside the housing 35.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sheath 27.

  The sheath 27 constitutes the covering of the soft part 21 described above. The sheath 27 is made of a flexible resin material and is formed in a tube shape with a circular outer periphery. The sheath 27 is connected to the insertion tip 19 by fitting the tip opening. The sheath 27 is inserted through the conductive transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31, which are a plurality of wires connected to the insertion tip 19. The transmission cable 29 has a plurality of wirings 57 (for example, signal lines, power lines, ground lines, etc.). In the illustrated example, five wirings 57 are illustrated, but the number of wirings 57 is not limited to this. A plurality of optical fibers 31 are vertically attached to the transmission cable 29. In the example illustrated, four optical fibers 31 are illustrated, but the number of optical fibers 31 is not limited to this. The transmission cable 29 and each optical fiber 31 are bundled in a non-fixed manner so as to be able to slide relative to each other, and are inserted through the inside of the sheath 27.

  In other words, the conductive transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31, which are a plurality of wires led out from the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27, are not fixed in the sheath 27 and the proximal end opening 55. The relative slidability of the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31, which are a plurality of wires, is not disturbed and maintained in the sheath 27, the proximal opening 55, and the housing 35. Thereby, even if the sheath 27 is bent, the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31 are not damaged, and the data transmission efficiency does not deteriorate.

  In addition, the conductive transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31, which are a plurality of wires led out from the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27, should be disposed with sufficient deflection in the sheath 27 and the endoscope plug. Is desirable. As a result, when the sheath 27 is bent, the relative slidability of the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31, which are a plurality of wires, is maintained without being disturbed in the sheath 27, the proximal opening 55, and the housing 35. become. Thereby, even if the sheath 27 is bent, the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31 are not damaged, and the data transmission efficiency does not deteriorate.

  For example, a plastic optical fiber (POF) is preferably used as the optical fiber 31. The plastic optical fiber is made of plastics for both the core and the clad using silicon resin or acrylic resin as a material. The optical fiber 31 may be a glass fiber in which at least the core of the core and the clad is formed of a glass material such as quartz. In this case, the clad may be formed of quartz, or may be formed of silicon or a fluorine polymer. Thereby, the wire is constituted by the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31 as an example of the glass fiber, whereby the strength of the wire is ensured and the deterioration of the data transmission efficiency is suppressed.

  The optical fiber 31 may be, for example, a bundle fiber (bundle fiber) in which a plurality of optical fiber strands are bundled and end fittings are attached to both ends thereof. The optical fiber 31 has four distal end surfaces at the insertion distal end 19 and four proximal end ends connected to the ferrule 45 in a lump. The light source is, for example, an LED provided in the socket portion 25 or the like. The endoscope 15 connects the housing 35 to the socket portion 25 so that light from the LED travels through the optical fiber 31 and is emitted from the tip. According to this configuration, it is possible to perform imaging in a dark part using the endoscope 15 alone.

  The housing main body 39 is provided with a substrate housing portion 59. A substrate 61 to which a transmission cable 29 that is a wire is connected is disposed in the substrate housing portion 59. The board 61 is provided with a card edge terminal 63 exposed on the rear end surface of the housing main body 39. The card edge terminal 63 is connected to the card edge connector of the socket portion 25.

  A shield metal plate 65 is attached to the substrate housing portion 59. The shield metal plate 65 is connected to the ground wire and shields electromagnetic noise from the substrate 61. The shield sheet metal 65 is formed in a box shape so as to cover the upper surface side of the substrate 61. The substrate 61 is covered with the shield sheet metal 65, whereby adhesion of a liquid 67 (for example, body fluid such as human blood described later (see FIG. 7)) can be suppressed.

  A ferrule presser 69 is assembled to the rear portion of the housing main body 39. The ferrule presser 69 has a recess 71 that holds the ferrule 45 at the upper edge. The ferrule 45 inserted into the recess 71 is sandwiched between the ferrule retainer 69 and the upper housing 47, and is supported in the housing while its rotation and axial movement are restricted. The supported ferrule 45 protrudes from a ferrule lead-out hole 73 formed on the rear end portion 43 of the housing 35 on the rear end side. For example, light emitted from an LED provided in the socket portion 25 is incident on the ferrule 45.

  As described above, the housing 35 accommodates the substrate 61 and the ferrule 45. Further, the housing 35 fixes the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end of the sheath 27 and opens the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 inward. Further, the housing 35 connects the transmission cable 29 that is a part of the wire led out from the proximal end opening 55 to the substrate 61, and the optical fiber 31 that is another wire to the ferrule 45.

  When the insertion tip 19 and the sheath 27 are inserted into a blood vessel of the patient, the endoscope 15 is broken by contact with a foreign substance or the like in the sheath 27 having a small diameter (outer diameter of about 2 mm or less), and a liquid 67 is contained in the sheath. The possibility of entering can not be completely denied. If the amount of the liquid 67 that has entered the sheath is large, the liquid 67 flows along the wire material by capillary action and flows into the housing from the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, the bottom wall 75 of the lower housing 49 is formed with a liquid intrusion preventing wall 77 that prevents the liquid 67 from entering the substrate housing portion 59 in which the substrate 61 is disposed. The bottom wall 75 is formed as a bottom portion including both the sheath introduction portion 37 and the substrate housing portion 59 of the lower housing 49. Specifically, the bottom wall 75 is inclined at the sheath introduction portion 37 and extends in the horizontal direction at the substrate housing portion 59. The liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is formed continuously across the left and right sides of the lower housing 49 at a substantially central portion of the bottom wall 75 in the front-rear direction. In the lower housing 49, the space above the bottom wall 75 is partitioned into a sheath introduction part 37 and a substrate housing part 59 by a liquid intrusion prevention wall 77. A trapezoidal lower engagement plate portion 79 is formed on the upper edge of the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77.

  As described above, the endoscope plug 100 is a liquid that prevents the liquid 67 from entering the substrate housing portion 59 in which the substrate 61 is disposed on the bottom wall 75 of the housing 35 on the lower side in the vertical direction of the proximal end opening 55. By forming the intrusion prevention wall 77 upright, the substrate housing portion 59 and the sheath introduction portion 37 are spatially separated. That is, the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is a partition that spatially separates the sheath introduction part 37 and the substrate housing part 59.

  FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope plug 100 of FIG. 3 as viewed from the front lower right.

  An upper engagement plate portion 81 that engages with the lower engagement plate portion 79 is suspended from the upper housing 47. A trapezoidal notch 83 that engages the trapezoidal lower engagement plate 79 is formed at the lower edge of the upper engagement plate 81. The upper engagement plate portion 81 is formed with a window portion 85 cut out further upward from the cutout portion 83. The transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31 are passed through the window 85. The lower engagement plate portion 79 and the upper engagement plate portion 81 also function as a stopper that restricts the later movement of a sponge 87 described later.

  FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the endoscope plug 100.

  The sheath introduction portion 37 of the lower housing 49 opens to the bottom wall 75 on the lower side in the vertical direction of the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 and flows into the body fluid (liquid such as blood) of the human body flowing in from the proximal end opening 55. 67) is formed in the drainage hole 89 for discharging the gas to the outside of the housing 35. Note that the drainage hole 89 does not have to be directly below the proximal end opening 55. In the endoscope plug 100 according to the first embodiment, the drainage hole 89 is formed in a slit shape along the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 and elongated.

  In the drainage hole 89, a rib 91 is formed that extends along the wire just below the wire and connects both ends in the extending direction to the inner periphery of the drainage hole. The rib 91 is disposed at a position where the drainage hole 89 formed in a slit shape is divided into two in the longitudinal direction. In other words, the rib 91 connects a pair of opposing positions on the inner peripheral side of the drainage hole 89 formed in a slit shape at both ends in the extending direction of the rib 91.

  An inclined surface 93 is formed on the bottom wall 75 of the sheath introducing portion 37 so as to be inclined downward toward the drainage hole 89. In the housing 35, the sheath introduction part 37 has a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape. In the sheath introduction part 37, one side surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape becomes the bottom wall 75. That is, one side surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape is the inclined surface 93. The drainage hole 89 has a slit shape along the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 and is formed on the inclined lower end side of the inclined surface 93.

  A sponge 87 is sandwiched between the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 in the housing 35. In the present configuration example, the sponge 87 is composed of a pair of upper and lower sides. The pair of sponges 87 is a hexahedron. Inside the housing 35, at least a part of the wire material (the transmission cable 29 and the optical fiber 31) between the proximal end opening 55 and the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is a pair above the inclined surface 93. It is sandwiched between sponges 87.

  In the housing, the sponge 87 can be in a position where the sponge rear end surface 95 abuts against the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 standing from the edge of the drainage hole 89 as shown in the figure. Further, the sponge 87 may have the sponge rear end surface 95 positioned on the front side so that a gap is formed between the sponge 87 and the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77.

  In addition, the said sponge is an example and you may use raw materials, such as resin and a gel, which shields or absorbs water | moisture content.

  The liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 has a foreign matter insertion prevention wall that extends along the bottom wall 75 above the drainage hole 89 (including when not parallel to the bottom wall 75) on the surface opposite to the substrate housing portion 59. 97 is formed. The foreign matter insertion prevention wall 97 does not need to be parallel to the inclined surface 93. In the present configuration example, the foreign matter insertion prevention wall 97 extends in the horizontal direction. The foreign matter insertion preventing wall 97 is placed on at least a part of the lower surface of the sponge 87. Note that the foreign matter insertion prevention wall 97 may be formed with an inclined gradient toward the front. Thereby, the liquid 67 on the upper surface of the foreign matter insertion prevention wall 97 can be more easily dropped.

  Next, the operation of the above-described configuration will be described.

  FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view showing the flow path of the liquid 67 falling from the proximal end opening 55.

  In the endoscope plug 100 according to the first embodiment, when the insertion tip 19 and the sheath 27 are inserted into a patient's blood vessel, the sheath 27 having a small diameter (outer diameter of about 2 mm or less) is caused by contact with a foreign substance or the like. The possibility that the liquid 67 breaks and enters the sheath cannot be completely denied. If the amount of liquid 67 that has entered is large, the liquid 67 enters the housing from the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 through the wire by capillary action. At that time, in the endoscope plug 100 of the present configuration example, most of the liquid 67 flowing in from the proximal end opening 55 is gravity from the proximal end opening or the wire near the proximal end opening as shown in FIG. It falls by. The dropped liquid 67 adheres to the bottom wall 75 of the housing 35. In the endoscope plug 100, the liquid 67 adhering to the bottom wall 75 is blocked by the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 when attempting to enter the substrate housing portion 59 through the bottom wall 75. That is, the substrate housing portion 59 is partitioned (separated) from the bottom wall 75 provided with the drainage hole 89 by the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77. As a result, the liquid 67 flowing from the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 can be more difficult to adhere to the substrate 61.

  When the amount of liquid falling increases, the liquid 67 flows down from the drain hole 89 formed in the bottom wall 75 and is discharged to the outside of the housing 35. As a result, the inflow liquid from the sheath 27 adheres to the substrate 61, and the patient 61 can be prevented from receiving an electric shock due to the short circuit of the substrate 61.

  In the endoscope plug 100, the liquid 67 attached to the bottom wall 75 flows down along the downward slope of the inclined surface 93 when reaching the amount that flows along the bottom wall 75. The liquid 67 that has flowed along the inclined surface 93 reaches a drainage hole 89 disposed in the downward direction of the inclined surface 93, and is discharged from the drainage hole 89 to the outside of the housing 35. As a result, the liquid 67 does not accumulate on the bottom wall 75 and is quickly discharged to the outside of the housing 35 after adhering to the bottom wall 75.

  In the endoscope plug 100, the liquid 67 attached to the bottom wall 75 flows down along the downward slope of the inclined surface 93 when reaching the amount that flows along the bottom wall 75. The liquid 67 that has flowed along the inclined surface 93 reaches a drainage hole 89 disposed in the downward direction of the inclined surface 93, and is discharged from the drainage hole 89 to the outside of the housing 35. As a result, the liquid 67 does not accumulate on the bottom wall 75 and is quickly discharged to the outside of the housing 35 after adhering to the bottom wall 75.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view showing the flow path of the liquid 67 adsorbed on the sponge 87.
Further, in the endoscope plug 100, the liquid 67 that flows in from the proximal end opening 55 and does not fall from the wire near the proximal end opening or the proximal end opening is transmitted through the wire as shown in FIG. It is possible. The liquid 67 transmitted through the wire is once absorbed by the sponge 87 sandwiching the wire between the proximal end opening 55 and the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77. The liquid 67 absorbed by the sponge 87 falls by gravity when it reaches a predetermined amount. The dropped liquid 67 adheres to the bottom wall 75 as described above, and then flows down from the drainage hole 89 and is discharged to the outside of the housing 35. Thereby, since the liquid 67 transmitted through the wire is also adsorbed by the sponge 87, the liquid 67 does not enter the substrate housing portion 59, and it is possible to prevent electric shock more reliably.

  In the endoscope plug 100, it is conceivable that the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 is filled with an adhesive and sealed, and the gap between the sheath 27 and the wire is closed by the sealing portion. In this case, the wire is fixed integrally with the sheath 27 by the sealing portion. However, the sheath 27 must be freely bent when inserted into the patient's blood vessel. However, if the wire already connected and fixed at the insertion distal end 19 is also fixed at the proximal end opening 55, both ends in the extending direction are fixed integrally. When the sheath 27 is bent in this state, the bundle-shaped wire tends to bulge within the sheath due to the difference in the radius of curvature.

  At this time, if this bulging is restricted by the inner peripheral wall of the sheath 27, the possibility that the particularly small-diameter optical fiber 31 is damaged increases.

  Therefore, the endoscope plug 100 according to the present configuration example has a structure in which a sealing portion that integrally fixes the wire to the proximal end opening 55 of the sheath 27 is not provided. The liquid 67 transmitted through the wire from the proximal end opening 55 is adsorbed by the sponge 87. By using this sponge 87, it is possible to reliably prevent the liquid 67 from entering the substrate housing portion 59 while avoiding integral fixing of the wires and allowing relative sliding.

  In the endoscope plug 100, when a foreign object (such as an injection needle or tweezers) is inserted into the drainage hole 89 from the outside of the housing 35, the foreign object hits the foreign object insertion prevention wall 97. Thereby, it is suppressed that the wire is damaged by the foreign matter inserted from the drainage hole 89.

  In the endoscope plug 100, even when the large drainage hole 89 is formed, the strength reduction of the housing 35 can be suppressed by partitioning the drainage hole 89 by the rib 91. The drainage hole 89 is preferably formed in a long slit shape along the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 in order to improve the discharge of the liquid 67 in particular. In this case, the housing 35 can suppress a decrease in strength by providing the rib 91 at a position that bisects the drainage hole 89 in the longitudinal direction of the drainage hole 89. Moreover, the rib 91 is arrange | positioned directly under a wire. As a result, the rib 91 can be made more difficult to touch the wire with the foreign matter in combination with the foreign matter insertion prevention wall 97 described above.

  In the endoscope plug 100, one side surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape becomes the bottom wall 75 of the housing 35. Therefore, the bottom wall 75 of the sheath introduction portion 37 is a triangle. The triangular bottom wall 75 becomes an inclined surface 93 having a downward slope from the top toward the bottom. The inclined triangular bottom wall 75 can form a long slit-shaped drainage hole 89 along the bottom side on the bottom side. That is, by making the sheath introduction part 37 into a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape, it is possible to easily form a slit-like drainage hole 89 that makes drainage good.

  Furthermore, in the endoscope plug 100, the sheath introduction portion 37 is formed in a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape, and the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 stands at a position that becomes the bottom surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape. The opposite side of the sheath introduction part 37 across the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is a square tubular housing body 39. As a result, the housing 35 includes a sheath introduction portion 37 having an inclined surface 93 to which a function of discharging the liquid 67 is provided and a housing main body portion 39 that secures a large volume for accommodating the substrate 61 in a compact shape without waste. Can be formed.

  Therefore, according to the endoscope plug 100 of the first embodiment, the electric shock of the patient can be suppressed when the liquid enters the sheath.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, an endoscope plug according to Embodiment 2 will be described. In the second embodiment, the same members as those shown in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope plug 200 according to the second embodiment.

  The endoscope plug 200 according to Embodiment 2 includes a cover 103 that is provided inside the housing 101 and partially covers a substrate 61 through a part of a plurality of wires (transmission cable 29). The housing 101 includes an upper housing 105 and a lower housing 107 in which the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is not formed. In the configuration of FIG. 9, the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77 is not formed. However, in the second embodiment, the formation of the liquid ingress prevention wall 77 is not excluded.

  The cover 103 is formed in a flat, substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape whose bottom surface is open. The cover 103 desirably has an insulating property, and is integrally formed of, for example, a synthetic resin material. The cover 103 can accommodate the substrate 61 from the opening on the lower surface and cover the substrate 61. The cover 103 has a terminal lead-out portion 109 that allows the card edge terminal 63 to pass through the rear wall portion 111.

  FIG. 10 is a perspective view of FIG. 9 as viewed obliquely from the upper front of the sheath introduction portion 37.

  A U-shaped groove 113 is cut into the other side wall of the cover 103 from the opening side. The U-shaped groove 113 allows the transmission cable 29 to be inserted. The optical fiber 31 having no risk of electric shock is connected to the ferrule 45 without being covered by the cover 103.

  FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the endoscope plug 200 according to the second embodiment.

  The opening of the cover 103 covering the substrate 61 is watertightly sealed to the bottom wall 75 by the adhesive 115. Further, the cover 103 is hermetically sealed with an adhesive 115 between the card edge terminal 63 and the terminal lead-out portion 109 and between the conductive transmission cable 29 and the U-shaped groove 113. Thereby, even if the transmission cable 29 has conductivity, the gap between the transmission cable 29 and the U-shaped groove 113 is watertightly sealed with the adhesive 115, so that the liquid 67 is prevented from adhering to the substrate 61. There is no risk of electric shock. The cover 103 seals the substrate 61 in a watertight manner by closing all the gaps with the adhesive 115. Therefore, the endoscope plug 200 can use the same member as the endoscope plug 100 except that the housing 101 and the cover 103 are different from those in the first embodiment.

  According to the endoscope plug 200 according to the second embodiment, it is possible to seal only the substrate 61 that may cause an electric shock in a watertight manner and to prevent the liquid 67 from adhering to the substrate 61. As a result, the patient can be prevented from receiving an electric shock due to the short circuit of the substrate 61. Further, according to the endoscope plug 200, the housing 101 can be simplified by omitting the liquid intrusion prevention wall 77.

(Embodiment 3)
Next, an endoscope plug according to Embodiment 3 will be described. Note that in the third embodiment, the same members as those shown in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the endoscope plug 300 according to the third embodiment together with a part of the repeater 23.

  In the endoscope plug 300 according to Embodiment 3, a flange portion 119 protruding from the outer periphery is formed on the outer periphery of the housing 117 over the entire outer periphery. The housing 117 includes an upper housing 123 in which the upper flange portion 121 is formed, and a lower housing 127 in which the lower flange portion 125 is formed. In the housing 117, the flange portion 119 extends over the entire outer periphery by combining the upper housing 123 and the lower housing 127.

FIG. 13 is a side view of FIG.
The endoscope plug 300 connected to the socket portion 25 of the repeater 23 is arranged such that the lower flange portion 125 hangs down between the lower surface of the lower housing 127 and the socket portion 25. Therefore, even if the liquid 67 travels from the drain hole 89 to the lower surface of the lower housing 127, the liquid 67 is blocked by the lower flange portion 125 and falls from the lower end of the lower flange portion 125. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the penetration of the liquid 67 traveling along the lower surface of the lower housing 127 into the socket portion 25. For this reason, the plug for endoscope 300 can use the same member as the plug for endoscope 100 except that the housing 117 is different from that of the first embodiment.

  FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope plug 300 and the repeater 23 of FIG. 13 rotated by 90 ° about the soft part 21.

  Further, according to the endoscope plug 300 according to the third embodiment, since the flange portion 119 is formed on the entire circumference, even when the endoscope plug 300 is laid down together with the repeater 23, Infiltration of the liquid 67 into the socket portion 25 can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, by providing the flange portion 119, when the surgeon connects the endoscope plug 300 to the relay device 23, the operator grasps the front side of the flange portion 119 so that the area on the relay device 23 side that is not sterilized. Contact can prevent contamination of the surgeon's sterile gloves and the surgical field.

(Embodiment 4)
Next, an endoscope plug according to Embodiment 4 will be described. In the fourth embodiment, the same members as those shown in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

  FIG. 15 is a side view showing the endoscope plug 400 according to the fourth embodiment together with a part of the repeater 23.

  In the endoscope plug 400 according to the fourth embodiment, like the endoscope plug 100, the housing 35 is divided into an upper housing 47 and a lower housing 49 with a substantially quadrangular pyramid axis as a boundary. Configured. The joint portion 129 between the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 is sealed in a watertight manner by the adhesive 115 and assembled together. For this reason, the plug for endoscope 400 can use the same member as the plug for endoscope 100 except that the joint portion 129 that is sealed in a watertight manner with the adhesive 115 is different from that in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the endoscope plug 400 according to the fourth embodiment.

  According to the endoscope plug 400 according to the fourth embodiment, the joint portion 129 between the upper housing 47 and the lower housing 49 is sealed in a watertight manner with the adhesive 115, so that the liquid 67 transmitted outside the housing 35 is transferred to the housing 35. And the penetration into the socket portion 25 of the repeater 23 can be suppressed.

  The watertight structure of the joint portion 129 by the adhesive 115 can also be applied to the endoscope plug 100, the endoscope plug 200, and the endoscope plug 300 described above. In particular, in the endoscope plug 300, the joint portion 129 between the upper flange portion 121 and the lower flange portion 125 is sealed in a watertight manner with the adhesive 115, so that the damming effect at the time of lying down shown in FIG. can do.

  Although the embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and these are naturally within the technical scope of the present disclosure. Understood. In addition, the constituent elements in the above-described embodiment may be arbitrarily combined within the scope not departing from the spirit of the invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, an imaging element is provided at the insertion tip, but the endoscope plug may be applied to a fiber endoscope that does not include an imaging element.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the liquid flowing into the housing from the sheath is a body fluid such as blood has been described as an example. However, the liquid may be other body fluid such as gastric fluid, bile, pancreatic fluid, and the like. Good.

  The present disclosure is useful as an endoscope plug that can suppress an electric shock of a patient at the time of entering a liquid into the sheath, for example, when the sheath is torn during surgery.

19 Insertion tip 27 Sheath 29 Transmission cable (wire)
31 Optical fiber (wire)
35, 101 Housing 37 Sheath introduction part 39 Housing body part 47 Upper housing 49 Lower housing 55 Base end opening part 59 Substrate accommodating part 61 Substrate 67 Liquid 75 Bottom wall 77 Liquid intrusion prevention wall 87 Sponge 89 Drain hole 91 Rib 93 Inclined surface 97 Foreign matter insertion prevention wall 100, 200, 300, 400 Endoscope plug 103 Cover 109 Terminal lead-out portion 115 Adhesive 129 Joint portion

Claims (13)

A flexible tube-shaped sheath for inwardly inserting a plurality of wires connected to an insertion tip having an imaging unit;
A housing including a sheath introduction portion on the proximal end side of the sheath and a substrate accommodating portion for accommodating a substrate ;
The bottom wall of the housing in the vertically lower side of the proximal end of the sheath, before the liquid enters prevention wall for preventing the entry of liquid into Kimoto plate accommodating section is made form the board housing portion and the front alkoxy The space introduction part is spatially separated ,
A part of the plurality of wires led out from the proximal end of the sheath is connected to the substrate, and the plurality of wires are arranged without being fixed in the housing .
Endoscope plug. A flexible tube-shaped sheath for inwardly inserting a plurality of wires connected to an insertion tip having an imaging unit;
A housing including a sheath introduction portion on the proximal end side of the sheath and a substrate accommodating portion for accommodating a substrate ;
Before Kimoto plate accommodating section we covered in a watertight structure within the housing, and the substrate receiving portion and the front carboxymethyl over scan introducing portion is spatially separated,
A part of the plurality of wires led out from the proximal end of the sheath is connected to the substrate, and the plurality of wires are arranged without being fixed in the housing .
Endoscope plug. The plurality of wires include a glass fiber and a conductive transmission cable.
The endoscope plug according to claim 1 or 2 . A conductive transmission cable is included in a part of the plurality of wires penetrating watertightly into a cover that covers the substrate in a watertight manner,
The plug for endoscopes as described in any one of Claims 1-3 . Further comprising a drainage hole, for discharging to the outside of the housing an inflow liquid from said sheath inlet portion open to the vertically lower side of the bottom wall of the housing of the sheath introduction,
The plug for endoscopes as described in any one of Claims 1-4 . The bottom wall is formed with an inclined surface that is inclined downward toward the drainage hole.
The endoscope plug according to claim 5 . The wire between the sheath introduction portion and the liquid ingress prevention wall for preventing the entry of liquid into the front Kimoto plate accommodating section, at least a portion of extending direction, sandwiched between the sponge over the bottom wall of the housing The
The plug for endoscopes as described in any one of Claims 1-6 . The surface of the liquid entry preventing wall opposite to the substrate housing portion extends along the bottom wall above the drainage hole for discharging the liquid flowing in from the sheath introduction portion to the outside of the housing, A foreign matter insertion prevention wall is formed to place at least a part of the sponge.
The endoscope plug according to claim 7 . The drainage hole for discharging the liquid flowing in from the sheath introduction portion to the outside of the housing extends along the wire below the wire, and is provided at both ends in the extending direction on the inner peripheral side of the drainage hole. Ribs that connect a pair of opposed positions are formed,
Endoscopic plug according to any one of claims 6-8. The housing is formed with a substantially square pyramid-shaped sheath introduction portion on the fixed side of the sheath,
The sheath introduction portion is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape and passing through the top portion along the wire.
Endoscopic plug according to any one of claims 1-9. The housing is formed by connecting a rectangular cylindrical housing body to the bottom side of the substantially quadrangular pyramid shape of the sheath introducing portion.
The endoscope plug according to claim 10 . On the outer periphery of the housing, a flange portion protruding from the outer periphery is formed over the entire outer periphery.
Endoscopic plug according to any one of claims 1 to 11. The housing is divided into an upper housing and a lower housing with a substantially quadrangular pyramid-shaped axis as a boundary, and a joint portion of the upper housing and the lower housing is sealed in a watertight manner with an adhesive and assembled together. Be
Endoscopic plug according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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